FIFTH ANNUAL WISCONSIN PUBLIC SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS CONFERENCE

The Commissioners and staff of the WERC are pleased to invite you to the Fifth Annual Wisconsin Public Sector Labor Relations Conference. 

We acknowledge and thank the University of Wisconsin Law School and the Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar for their continued support and assistance as co-sponsors.

We are excited about the program for this year's conference and hope that you will find it as informative and enjoyable as in previous years.  We look forward to seeing you on April 30 in Madison.

The April 30, 2009 Public Sector Conference program,  registration form, and hotel information appears below, followed by a parallel set of information regarding an additional training opportunity for advocates on April 29, entitled Labor Arbitration Advocacy: Arbitration in a Changing Environment, sponsored by Region 11 of the National Academy of Arbitrators.  While this additional training program is not part of the 2009 Public Sector Conference and is not sponsored by the WERC, because of its obvious relevance and interest to our clients the WERC has agreed to help publicize it to Conference participants, and to allow people to register for both programs at the same time.

Judy Neumann, Chair
Sue Bauman, Commissioner
Paul Gordon, Commissioner

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Fifth Annual WERC Public Sector Labor Relations Conference

 

April 30, 2009Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin

 

Presented by the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission

Co-Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Law School and

the Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar

 

8:30     Welcome and Announcements

·         Judy Neumann

Chair, Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission

 

8:40     What’s The Word From The WERCing World?

·         Peter Davis

General Counsel, Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission

 

9:30     Well, What Did You Expect?

            What the New Administration and Congress May Mean for Labor Relations

·         Peter Hurtgen

Partner, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP, Los Angeles, California

Director, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (2002-2004)

Member and Chair, National Labor Relations Board (1997-2002)

 

10:15   Break

 

10:30   First Round of Breakout Sessions:

 

A         Finality’s Finale?  You Be The Judge

Grievance Arbitration, Public Policy and the Wisconsin Courts

            Moderator:  Judy Neumann, WERC

·          Prof. Martin Malin

Chicago Kent College of Law

·          Michael Julka

Attorney, Lathrop & Clark

·          Barbara Zack Quindel

Attorney, Hawks, Quindel, Ehlke & Perry

 

B         Nuts and Bolts I – Shall We Dance?

Effectively Preparing for Collective Bargaining and Mediation

·          Karen Mawhinney

Arbitrator

·          Jack Bernfeld

Associate Director, Wisconsin Council 40, AFSCME

·          Mark Olson

Attorney, Davis & Kuelthau

 

C         It’s Nothing Personnel

            A survey of developments under SELRA and the State Personnel Code

·          Kurt Stege and Peter Davis

WERC

 

D         The Chains of the Past

            When is a Past Practice Binding?  Under What Circumstances

May a Past Practice Be Changed? 

            Moderator: Danielle Carne, WERC

·          Gil Vernon

Arbitrator

·          Steve Pieroni

Legal Counsel, WEAC

·          Nancy Pirkey

Davis & Kuelthau

 

E         Oh What a Tangled Web

Privacy Issues in the Workplace

            Moderator: Coleen Burns, WERC

·          Tamara Packard

Attorney, Cullen Weston Pines & Bach LLP

·          Bradden Backer

Attorney, Friebert, Finerty & St. John, S.C

 

F         Fine, Then Do It Yourself – Health Insurance Issues

A Self-Directed Roundtable Discussion of Issues in the Bargaining and Administration of Health Insurance.

            Moderators:

·          John Dillon

Business Agent, Wisconsin Professional Police Association

·          Ken Kittleson

Personnel Director, Monroe County

 

12:00   Lunch – Atrium Area

 

1:00     Second Round of Breakout Sessions:

 

G         OK, Everybody Who’s Not Here Raise Your Hand

Attendance Issues In Light of the Supreme Court’s Stoughton Trailers Decision

            Moderator   Steve Morrison , WERC

·          James Ruhly

 Attorney, Melli Law

·          John C. Carlson, Jr.

 Attorney, Lawton & Cates

 

H         And The Winner Is….

A Discussion of the Past Year in Interest Arbitration

            Moderator:  Richard McLaughlin, WERC

·          William W. Petrie

Arbitrator

·          Mindy Dale

Attorney, Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci

·          Gregory Spring

Negotiations Specialist, Wisconsin Education Association Council

 

I           How Come There’s Never a PFC Around

When You Need One?

Revisiting and Updating the Inter-relationship of Unions, Municipalities and the

Police and Fire Commissions in Light of the Governor’s Veto Message

            Moderator:  Lauri Millot, WERC

·          Timothy Hawks

Attorney, Hawks, Quindel, Ehlke & Perry 

·          James Korom

Attorney, von Briesen & Roper

 

J          Well, If You Want My Opinion…

Interactive Small Group Discussions of Ethical Dilemmas in

Contract Administration and Collective Bargaining

            Moderator:  Paul Gordon, WERC

·          Jina Jonen

Attorney, Wisconsin Education Association Council

·          Steve Weld

Attorney, Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci

 

K         If The QEO is Toast, Are We All in a Jam? 

What the Elections Mean for the Bargaining Law, and What That Means for Everyone

            Moderator   William Houlihan, WERC

·          John Ashley

Executive Director, Wisconsin Association of School Boards

·          Dan Burkhalter

Executive Director, Wisconsin Education Association Council

 

L          Fine, Then Do It Yourself – Dealing With Troubled Employees

A Self-Directed Roundtable Discussion of Issues connected with troubled employees.

            Moderators: 

·          Sid Hatch

Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association

·          Dean Dietrich

Attorney, Ruder Ware

 

2:10     Third Round of Breakout Sessions:

 

M         Rendering Unto Caesar

Negotiating and Administering the Collective Bargaining Agreement With

One Eye on the Taxman – Five Things You Don’t Know That Will Hurt You

            Moderator   Sharon Gallagher , WERC

·          Dennis Eisenberg

Negotiations Specialist, Wisconsin Education Association Council

·          Robert Simandl

Attorney, Simandl & Prentice

 

N         All’s Fair 

The Duty of Fair Representation – What It Is, What It Isn’t, Why it Matters.

            Moderator   Raleigh Jones, WERC

·          Marianne Robbins

Attorney, Previant, Goldberg, Uelman, Gratz, Miller & Brueggeman

·          Donald Schriefer

Assistant City Attorney, City of Milwaukee

·          Sally Stix

Attorney, Stix Law Offices

 

O         Nuts & Bolts II – I’ll See Your Supervisor

and Raise You a Confidential

Exclusions from Bargaining Units in Initial Organizing and Unit Clarification

Proceedings – Are Stipulations and Side Deals a Sucker Bet?

·          Peter G. Davis

General Counsel, Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission

 

P         So I Sez to Him, “Oh Yeah, What You

Gonna Do About It?”… Then He Fired Me …

Sorting Out Insubordination and Protected Speech in the Workplace

            Moderator   John Emery, WERC

·          David Shaw

Arbitrator

·          Alan Levy

Attorney, Lindner & Marsack

·          Mark Sweet

Attorney, Sweet Law Office

 

Q         Keep an “Open” Mind

Open Records, Open Meetings

            Moderator   Stuart Levitan, WERC

·          Barry Forbes

Staff Counsel, Wisconsin Association of School Boards

·          Richard Thal

Attorney, Lawton & Cates

 

R         Fine, Then Do It Yourself – Squaring the Circle in LMC

A Self-Directed Roundtable discussion of the use of LMC to resolve economic issues.

·          Edmond Bielarczyk

Arbitrator, Mediator and Facilitator

·          Dennis McGilligan

Arbitrator, Mediator and Facilitator

 

 

3:20     Coffee Break

 

 


3:30     You Still Think It’s So Easy??

You Be The Arbitrator in Four Discipline Cases - Each table discusses and comes to a conclusion on hypothetical fact situations, after listening to closing arguments by experienced labor and management advocates.   After the audience vote is tallied, a panel of respected grievance arbitrators discloses its conclusions about each case.

 

Moderator:   Sharon Imes, Arbitrator

WERC Coordinator:  Stanley Michelstetter

           

Panel of Arbitrators:

·          Michelle Camden

Arbitratorr

·          Sherwood Malamud

Arbitrator

·          Thomas Yaeger

Arbitrator

 

            Advocates:

·          Steve Hartmann

Staff Representative, Wisconsin Council 40, AFSCME – arguing Cases 1 and 4

·          Shana Lewis

Attorney, Lathrop & Clark – arguing Cases 2 and 4

·          Melissa Thiel-Collar

Attorney, Wisconsin Education Association Council – arguing Cases 2 and 3

·          David Vergeront

Chief Counsel, Office of State Employment Relations – arguing Cases 1 and 3

 

5:00     Reception

 

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2009 Public Sector Conference -- Registration Information

 

Registration Fee:        $110.00

Registrations will be accepted on a space available basis.

Wisconsin CLE Credits Pending

 

Registration Forms are available in two formats: 

           

            - a convenient auto-fill Registration Form in RTF format.  The form can either be filled-out on screen (IE browser required) and then printed and mailed/faxed, or the form can be downloaded, opened with your word processor, filled out on screen and either e-mailed or printed and mailed/faxed.

 

            - a printable Registration Form in PDF format. 

 

Cancellation Policy:   Cancellations prior to April 17 will result in a full refund of the registration fee.  Cancellations on or after April 17 will not result in a refund.  Registrations may be transferred to other persons at any time prior to May 1, but you must advise us by April 30 of the name of the registrant and the name of the substitute.

 

Registration Questions:  contact Georgann Kramer  georgann.kramer@werc.state.wi.us   608-266-9287

 

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2009 Public Sector Conference -- Special Hotel Rate

 

The Sheraton Madison Hotel is making a block of rooms available to registrants for the Fifth Annual Wisconsin Public Sector Labor Relations Conference at special rates for the nights of April 29 and/or April 30, 2009, the night before and the night of the April 30 Conference.

 

The Conference rates for a standard room are $70 for single occupancy and $100 for double occupancy, plus taxes, if applicable.  Conference rate reservations will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until April 9.

 

The Sheraton Madison is located at 706 John Nolen Drive, walking distance from the site of the Conference. For reservations or more information, contact the Sheraton directly at  (608) 251-2300, and ask for the "WERC 2009 Public Sector Conference" rate.

 

 

 

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2009 NAA REGION 11

ADVOCACY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM

 

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 – Sheraton Hotel, Madison

 

 

8:00 a.m.     Registration, Continental Breakfast

 

8:30 a.m.     Welcome - Vicki Peterson Cohen, Regional Chairperson

Announcements - Stanley Michelstetter, Program Chair

 

8:45 a.m.     What’s Up In Arbitration?  A Panel Discussion of Current Topics

                        Amedeo Greco, Member, NAA, Moderator

Howard Bellman, Member, NAA            

                        Gil Vernon, NAA, Nominee for NAA President

                        Mark Vetter, Attorney, Davis & Kuelthau, S.C.

                        Bob West, Labor Consultant

 

9:45 a.m.       The Lightning Round: The Arbitrators on Evidence and Procedure

                        Sherwood Malamud, Member, NAA, Moderator

George Fleischli, Past President, NAA

                        Elliott Goldstein, Member, NAA

                        Edward Krinsky, Member, NAA

                        Marty Malin, Member, NAA

 

10:45 a.m.    Break

 

11:00 a.m.    Breakout Sessions – I

 

Session A       The Elements Of Persuasion: Understanding Arguments

                        Paul Bosanac, Supervising Attorney, National Labor Relations Board

 

Session B       Effective Interest Arbitration Advocacy

                        Sharon Imes, Member, NAA

                        Jeffrey W. Jacobs, Member, NAA

                        Edward Krinsky, Member, NAA

                        Sherwood Malamud, Member, NAA

 

12 noon         Lunch (Provided, but no speaker)

 

1:00 p.m.       Breakout Sessions – II

 

Session C       Putting Your Best Foot Forward:  A Primer On Arbitration Advocacy

                        Janice Frankman, Member, NAA

                        Amedeo Greco, Member, NAA

                        Stephen Pieroni, Legal Counsel, Wisconsin Education Assoc. Council

                        Jon Anderson, Attorney, Godfrey & Kahn

 

Session D       Workplace Bullying and Violence Updated

                        Stan Dobry, Member, NAA

                                                                               


2:00 p.m.       Breakout Sessions III

 

Session E       Medical Evidence in Arbitration

                        Vicki Peterson Cohen, Member, NAA Regional Chair

                        Mary Jo Schiavoni, Member, NAA

 

Session F       Difficult Issues in Activation and Return of  National Guard and Reserves

                        Brian Claus, Arbitrator

                        Gen. Bruce Shrimpf, Milwaukee Assistant City Attorney, and

                        Chairman, Region 2 Employer Support of Guard and Reserve        

 

Session G       Contract Interpretation, Discipline and Past Practice Issues

                        Fred Dichter, Member, NAA

                        Martin Malin, Member NAA

                        Elliot Goldstein, Member, NAA

 

3:00 p.m.     Break

 

3:15 p.m.       Ask the Arbitrator:  Ask Any Questions You Want

                        Fred Dichter, Member, NAA

                        George Fleischli, Past President, NAA

                        Elliot Goldstein, Member, NAA

                        Sharon Imes, Member, NAA

                        Gil Vernon, Nominee for NAA President

 

4:45 p.m.       Reception

 

 

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NAA Labor Arbitration Advocacy Program -- Registration Information

 

Registration Fee:        $110.00

Registrations will be accepted on a space available basis.

Wisconsin CLE Credits Pending

 

Registration Forms are available in two formats: 

           

            - a convenient auto-fill Registration Form in RTF format.  The form can either be filled-out on screen (IE browser required) and then printed and mailed/faxed, or the form can be downloaded, opened with your word processor, filled out on screen and either e-mailed or printed and mailed/faxed.

 

            - a printable Registration Form in PDF format.  

 

Cancellation Policy:   Cancellations prior to April 17 will result in a full refund of the registration fee.  Cancellations on or after April 17 will not result in a refund.  Registrations may be transferred to other persons at any time prior to May 1, but you must advise us by April 30 of the name of the registrant and the name of the substitute.

 

Registration Questions:  contact Georgann Kramer  georgann.kramer@werc.state.wi.us   608-266-9287

 

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NAA Labor Arbitration Advocacy Program -- Special Hotel Rate

 

The Sheraton Madison Hotel is making a block of rooms available to registrants for the NAA Labor Arbitration Advocacy Program at special rates for the night of April 28 and/or April 29, 2009, the night before and the night of the April 29 Training Program.

 

The Training Program rates for a standard room are $109 for single or double occupancy, plus taxes, if applicable.  Conference rate reservations will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for a limited time.

 

The Sheraton Madison is located at 706 John Nolen Drive, the site of the Training Program. For reservations or more information, contact the Sheraton directly at  (608) 251-2300, and ask for the "2009 Labor Arbitration Advocacy Program" rate.